Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 6
King Joram accepted Elisha’s advice that he should deal with the soldiers from Aram as his guests. In fact, Joram seems to have looked after them in an even better manner than Elisha requested. Elisha told him to give them bread and water – but Joram made a great meal for them. Clearly, Joram cared greatly about what people thought about him as a host. He was the king – so he wanted to impress his guests on this special occasion.
Then, after the soldiers had eaten, Joram permitted them to return home. They went back to their master, the king of Aram, who had sent them.
They did not bring back Elisha, as the king of Aram wanted. Instead, they brought back their reports, of the greatness of Elisha’s God, and the kindness of Israel’s people. This event, and those reports, had a great effect on the people in Aram. Previously, Aram’s king had often sent his soldiers into Israel to rob Israel’s people. Now that this group of soldiers had accepted friendship from Israel’s people, they refused to rob them. When the other soldiers in Aram heard about it, they too refused to join in attacks of this sort. It would not be honourable to rob people whom they now considered to be friends.
However, both Aram and Israel still had cruel and evil kings. Most of Israel’s people had not turned back to the true God. It would not be long before the next war between the two nations. So, for a short time, Israel’s people benefitted from a period of peace. The king of Aram would have to make a different plan of attack for his next war against Israel.
Next part: Aram's whole army surrounds Samaria (2 Kings 6:24-25)
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